The Imperial Guide, with Picturesque Plans of the Great Post Roads, containing miniature likenesses, engraved from real sketches, of the Cities, Towns, Villages . situated in and near such thoroughfares

BAKER, James

Edité par Printed by C. Whittingham, Dean Street, Fetter Lane and Sold by H D. Symonds, Paternoster-Row, London, 1802

A propos de cet article

Octavo (215 x 125 mm.), contemporary half calf, marbled paper boards, ornate gilt panelling, spine with very ornate gilt embossed decoration and title, marbled endpapers. With typographic frontispiece, pp. iv, 66, with 18 aquatint plates of the roads and 13 further aquatints, in good condition. James Baker (fl.1791-1806) is first noted from 'A Picturesque Guide to the Local Beauties of Wales and the Marches', 1791-94. This beautifully engraved aquatint road book was like many, published in parts. Its unusual feature is that the roads are represented by a series of vignettes of the views found along the route. It has a complicated bibliography which is not fully understood. This is not helped by the fact that each example appears to include differing content. Volume I, published in four parts, was completed in 1802. Despite intending further parts, no record of any exists. Nine of the plates in this example are variously dated between 1800 and August 1802, the balance bear no dates. There are recorded examples in which some of the earlier plates are dated between December 1798 and March 1799. The first part appears to have been issued in 1799. After a delay, there appears to have been a rush to finish the ensuing three parts to complete the first volume. It would also appear that as publication drew close, by the end of 1802, Baker had the plates with dates from the previous century updated. Smith and Webb describe the poor organisational skills of Baker supported by the number of examples of the atlas which vary in content. An unusual very rare road book. Provenance: manuscript notation on front free endpaper 'L T? Lloyd The Gift of M P? Lloyd. Refer Abbey Scenery (1952) 8 & 514; Fordham (1924) p. 46; Smith & Webb (1988) 'James Baker's Picturesque Plans' in 'The Map Collector' no. 42 pp. 20-26; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

N° de réf. du vendeur 10859

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The Imperial Guide, with Picturesque Plans of the Great Post Roads, containing miniature likenesses, engraved from real sketches, of the Cities, Towns, Villages . situated in and near such thoroughfares
• Éditeur: Printed by C. Whittingham, Dean Street, Fetter Lane and Sold by H D. Symonds, Paternoster-Row, London
• Date de parution: 1802
• Reliure: No binding
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • British County Atlas